Euro 2009 Contenders - Germany

Germany limped over the finish line to book their place in Sweden courtesy of a last-minute strike from Benedikt Höwedes in their Play-Off second leg against France.

Having netted the joint highest number of goals in qualifying, helped by the back-to-back 7-0 and 6-0 demolitions of Luxembourg, the Germans looked to be in good shape.

But despite starting their campaign well with a resounding 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland, they suffered defeat to Moldova and needed a last-gasp equaliser to rescue a point in Israel.

Surprisingly, given the success of the senior side, Germany’s Under-21s have never lifted a European trophy.

However, a German team has lost on four occasions in a European Under-21 Final, with East Germany missing out in 1990, 1978, and 1966, and West Germany collecting a runners-up medal in 1980.

Star Man
Rouwen Hennings – The Hamburg striker, currently on loan at St Pauli, finished the qualifiers as joint top scorer with seven goals, and will be one to watch as the free-scoring Germans look to fire themselves to their first major Under-21 title.

Manager
Horst Hrubesch took over Germany's Under-21s on a temporary basis in January after the departure of Dieter Eilts. He will make way for Rainer Adrion on 1 July, when he will resume his role as coach of Germany's U19 side.

Hrubesch is now into his ninth year as a coach with the German Football Federation and enjoyed his greatest success last season when his side won the 2008 UEFA European U19 Championship.

The Germany Squad

Goalkeepers
Florian Fromlowitz (Hannover 96), Manuel Neuer (FC Schalke 04), Tobias Sippel (1. FC Kaiserslautern).

Defenders
Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Jerome Boateng (Hamburger SV), Andreas Beck (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Benedikt Höwedes (FC Schalke 04), Sebastian Boenisch (Werder Bremen), Daniel Schwaab (SC Freiburg), Mats Hummels (BV Borussia Dortmund), Marcel Schmelzer (BV Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders
Daniel Adlung (VfL Wolfsburg), Änis Ben-Hatira (MSV Duisburg), Gonzalo Castro (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Patrick Ebert (Hertha BSC Berlin), Dennis Grote (VfL Bochum 1848), Fabian Johnson (TSV 1860 München), Sami Khedira (VfB Stuttgart), Mesut Özil (Werder Bremen).

Forwards
Ashkan Dejagah (VfL Wolfsburg), Chinedu Ede (MSV Duisburg), Sandro Wagner (MSV Duisburg), Marko Marin (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach).


Final Qualifying Standings